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What colours he asked

I’m getting on nicely with the commission I am doing for Stuart Haywood, for what he refers to as his “snuff it” painting… He’s both joking and serious about the reason for the painting he wants me to do.

He’s very aware of his own mortality now he is in his 80’s and wants this painting done to be displayed on his coffin he has informed me. Although we both are hoping that is a long way into the future!

I took the photo of the pose he wanted, which will have some shock value for some of his friends, and that is part of the reaction he wants I think! And this week I am getting on nicely with it, its a while since I’ve done a watercolour and I am loving using them again for this particular painting.

Stuart is intrigued how the painting is progressing and my comments on Facebook last week that I was enjoying putting the colours together for my latest commission. He asked if it was his commission I was referring to, and asked what colours I was talking about.

My reply to him was that it was indeed his commission I was referring to, and of course I have to put the colours together for the painting, to make it work so that its interesting to look at, there are colours to leave in, and colours to take out from the photo I was working from. The colours have to flow around the painting, and not be too stark, and clash. There has to be harmony within the painting so that the eye of the viewer follows the composition – its how an artist tells people what is important in the picture and where to look, what is the focal point, and what is less important. If I didn’t do that, the darkest part of the photo I am working from would be the black box behind him, and that would be the focal point!

So, ALL of the colours!